As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is Information Handling Systems (IHSs). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
In various implementations, IHSs process information received via a keyboard. A conventional keyboard includes components such as scissor switch keys, dome switch keys, levers, membranes, bucking springs, etc. These components are configured to receive physical keystrokes when a user actually touches and/or presses the keyboard's keys.
In addition, certain types of keyboards now also come equipped with proximity sensors. These proximity sensors are configured to measure distances between the user's hand or fingers to the keyboard. In operation, such a keyboard can detect signals representative of proximity and, when appropriate, it can interpret them as “hovering keystrokes”—even in the absence of physical contact between the keyboard and the user's fingers.